Elaborate funeral for Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Yahoo News Photo StaffOctober 27, 2017, 5:53 PM GMT

The bones and ashes of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej were brought to their final resting places on Sunday, the fifth and last day of an elaborate funeral ceremony that drew hundreds of thousands of mourners to the streets of Bangkok.

King Bhumibol, the world’s longest reigning monarch when he died last year at the age of 88, ruled Thailand from shortly after World War Two and was revered as a stabilising figure through coups, protests and natural disasters.

The $90 million royal funeral drew mourners clad in black from across the country to Bangkok, where King Bhumibol was cremated on Thursday in an elaborate gold crematorium built for the ceremony outside the Grand Palace.

Over 19 million Thais – more than a quarter of the 69 million population – participated in ceremonies by presenting symbolic sandalwood flowers to be burned at temples and crematorium replicas across the country, according to the government.

On Sunday, the late king’s bones were moved to the Chakri Throne Hall, where royal relics are kept within the Grand Palace in a ceremony that involved senior monks from temples across the country. His son, new King Maha Vajiralongkorn, led the religious rite.

On Sunday evening, Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana led the final royal procession on horseback to the Wat Rajabopidh and Wat Bovoranives temples where her grandfather’s ashes were placed in keeping with a ceremony steeped in religious symbolism and tradition. Mourners, some in tears, were gathered outside the temples. (Reuters)

Royal guards march in a procession to escort the relics and bone ashes of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej to be enshrined in two temples in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 29,2017. (Photo: Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Thai Princess Sirivannavari march in a procession to escort the relics and bone ashes of Thailand late King Bhumibol Adulyadej to be enshrined in two temples in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 29, 2017. (Photo: Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Thai people wait for the last funeral procession of the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Oct. 29, 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Mourners wait to have their photograph taken in front of a painting of the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadeja outside Wat Phra Kaew, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha on Oct. 27, 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand. Tens of thousands of people dressed in black gathered in Bangkok over a year after the death of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej as a five-day royal cremation ceremony took place in October 25-29 in Bangkok’s historic Sanam Luang area. (Photo: Brent Lewin/Getty Images)

A royal palanquin is carried by soldiers during a procession to transfer the royal relics and ashes of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej from the crematorium to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo: Jorge Silva/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

A Thai royal palace honer guard stands in attention as traditional drummers walk in a procession moving late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s ashes to special locations for further Buddhist rites in Bangkok, Thailand Friday, Oct. 27, 2017. With solemn faces and outright tears, Thais said farewell to their king and father figure with elaborate funeral ceremonies that cap a year of mourning and are steeped in centuries of tradition. (Photo: Wason Wanichakorn/AP)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

A royal palanquin is carried by soldiers during a procession to transfer the royal relics and ashes of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej from the crematorium to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo: Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn, center, participates in religious rituals to move the ashes of his father, the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, following a royal cremation ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand Friday, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo: Sakchai Lalit/AP)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

A Thai mourner holding a picture of late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej prays in front of the royal crematorium in Bangkok, Thailand early Friday, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo: Kittinun Rodsupan/AP)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Thai mourners offer alms in Buddhist merit making ceremonies, a day after the cremation of late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok, Thailand Friday, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo: Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

A royal palanquin is carried by soldiers during a procession to transfer the royal relics and ashes of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej from the crematorium to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo: Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

A royal guard bows during a procession to transfer the royal relics and ashes of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej from the crematorium to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Thailand’s Princesses Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Ubolratana Rajakanya, Bajrakitiyabha and Sirivannavari Nariratana attend during a procession to transfer the royal relics and ashes of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej from the crematorium to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo: Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

A soldier salutes in front of the Royal Crematorium during a funeral for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Thai officials hug as smoke rises from the royal crematorium of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok, Thailand, early Friday, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo: Wason Wanichakorn/AP)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Smoke rises from the royal crematorium of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok, Thailand, early Friday, Oct. 27, 2017. (Photo: Wason Wanichakorn/AP)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Mourners line up to offer sandalwood flowers at a replica of the Royal Crematorium during the funeral of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 26, 2017. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

The ceremonial urn of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej is transported during the funeral procession and royal cremation ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. (Photo: Wason Wanichakorn/AP)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

A mourner prays in a sea of black umbrellas at the funeral procession and royal cremation ceremony of late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, seen on photograph, in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. (Photo: Wason Wanichakorn/AP)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

An artillery gun is fired at the funeral procession and royal cremation ceremony of late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. (Photo: Wason Wanichakorn/AP)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Participants take part in the Royal Cremation ceremony of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 26, 2017. (Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Mourners shield themselves from the sun as they wait for the Royal Cremation ceremony of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej to begin near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 26, 2017. (Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Royal guards take part in the Royal Cremation ceremony of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 26, 2017. (Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

The Royal Urn of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej is carried during the Royal Cremation ceremony at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 26, 2017. (Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

A detail of the Great Victory Chariot carrying the royal urn is seen during the funeral procession for Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 26, 2017. (Photo: Jorge Silva/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn takes a part in the royal cremation procession of late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 26, 2017. (Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Thai mourners stand in a line before laying down sandalwood flowers in a replica of the royal crematorium in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. The funeral of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for 70 years before his death on Oct. 13, 2016. Bhumibol will be honored in an elaborate royal cremation ceremony from Oct. 25 to 29. (Photo: Kittinun Rodsupan/AP)

Elaborate funeral for Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Thai mourners, carrying a portrait of late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej gather in front of a replica of the royal crematorium in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. (Photo: Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP)